Monday, December 31, 2012

Russian grandmothers serve Gogol-Mogol to treat the common cold, an egg-based mixture that is particularly good for coughs. Beat 1 raw egg and 1 teaspoon of honey in a large cup until foamy; in a separate cup melt 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter in ½ cup milk. Pour milk mixture into egg mixture while beating well, then drink it while hot, taking small sips until it is gone. Drink it at night and wake up tomorrow feeling much better!

Sunday, December 30, 2012

I purchased this cream from the store for about $11.00 because I had a coupon for two bucks off any moisturizer by Garnier. It has three of the most popular ingredients for fighting free radical damage and warding off the signs of aging: Caffeine, lycopene and vitamin C. I can't tell if it has done anything for my skin tone or fine lines yet, but I can tell you that it instantly absorbs into my skin and makes it feel like a newborn baby. I have very oily and acne-prone skin, so this is a godsend for me to put on at night. I have the perfect amount of moisture with no oily feeling. It has a light fragrance that reminds me of green tea and comes in a glass container. Make sure you always look at ALL packaging in your house for a recycling logo! =] .

Test Your Toilet - Place a drop of food coloring in the tank and wait 15 minutes. If it shows up in the bowl, you have a leak - which can waste 200 gallons a day. Putting in a new toilet flapper can cost around five dollars, and you can do it. Check out ehow.com's "How to replace a toilet flapper" video.

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

A is essential for a strong immune system. USDA researchers found that an increased intake of vitamin A boosted germ-killing cells by 8 percent. Because vitamin A can build up to toxic levels in the body, experts recommend getting it through beta-carotene supplements—which prompt the body to produce the A you need—or through your diet.

Conditions: ImmunityRecommendations: 5,000 international units (IU) daily, preferably as beta-caroteneNatural sources such as carrots, sweet potatoes, and mangoesInteractions & Side Effects: Vitamin A can increase the toxicity of medications that contain Isoretinoin, such as the acne treatment Accutane

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Low-carb diets make you feel sad and stressed! Snapping at your husband and kids? Yelling at drivers? You might want to blame your carb deprivation. A recent study by Australian researchers, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, followed 106 dieters for a year. Half ate a carb-rich diet. The others followed a low-carb diet.

After a year, the carb eaters felt happier, calmer, and more focused than the carb-deprived group, who reported feeling stressed out. The reason for this? Carbs boost mood-regulating, stress-reducing chemicals in the brain, and high-protein, fatty foods may deplete them, says Grant Brinkworth, PhD, the lead researcher of the study.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Prone CobraLie facedown on the floor with your legs straight and your arms next to your sides, palms down. Contract your glutes and the muscles of your lower back, and raise your head, chest, arms, and legs off the floor. Simultaneously rotate your arms so that your thumbs point toward the ceiling. At this time, your hips should be the only parts of your body touching the floor. Hold this position for 60 seconds, then rest one minute. Repeat three times.

Friday, December 14, 2012

Your Skin Can Lead Your Nose
Your skin type determines which natural oils will mix with a fragrance, so it can be a useful starting point for finding the right scent. Teresa Molnar, executive director of the Sense of Smell Institute, suggests these templates.

Your skin tone: light to medium

Fairer skin is often drier, so it won't retain subtle scents as long as other skin types will. Choose a crisp, accented fragrance that lasts, like the fresh citrus bouquet of Dolce and Gabbana Pour Homme Light Blue ($55, www.dolcegabbanalightblue.com) or the (manly) floral scents in Armani Code ($55, giorgioarmanicosmetics.com). These intense notes won't fade as fast as more understated ones will.

Your skin tone: medium to dark

Medium-to-dark skin pumps out more natural oils, giving scents longevity and enhancing fragrances. More nuanced scents, such as amber, will linger longer, while bolder notes, such as the tobacco and wood scents found in Tom Ford for Men ($60, tomford.com), can create unique combinations with your natural musk. The darker your complexion, the bolder you can go.

Scents are seasonal

Use less cologne in spring and summer. "As your body heat builds up, the fragrance intensifies," says Molnar. "Sweating adds to the effect."

A fragrance can improve your sex life

All smells are not created equal. In a study by the Chicago-based Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation, women were turned on by wafts of licorice, cucumber, and banana-nut bread, while cherries and charcoal-barbecue meat were big turnoffs. Your best bet to set an olfactory lure? Seek out colognes with cucumber, such as Polo Blue ($50, ralphlauren.com ), or anise, such as Cereus No. 11 ($125, cereusdevelopment.com). When in doubt, sprinkle on some baby powder, says Alan R. Hirsch, M.D., of the foundation. "It makes women feel secure."

A smell should grow on you

"Genes, diet, hygiene, and skin type can all determine how a fragrance will smell on you," says Molnar. "The biggest mistake men make is buying a co--logne based on a quick sniff at the store and not giving it time to mix with their body." It'll take 10 minutes for the alcohol to evaporate and the scent to mingle with your own chemistry, so hold your fire on the credit card until it does. And limit yourself to testing three scents a day. The nose is overwhelmed by any more, says Molnar. You may also want to rethink that tandoori lunch: Certain foods, especially garlic, olive oil, onions, and curry, can transmit their smells through your sweat and oil glands and may change your cologne scent, says Wilma Bergfeld, M.D., head of dermatological research at the Cleveland Clinic. Source: Men's Health

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Though there are tons of DIY waxing kits on shelves, you would have to be super skilled, detail-oriented and steady-handed to pull off (pun intended) a completely bare, salonworthy front-and-back bikini wax. Just leave this one to the pros—we wouldn’t want you making any mistakes down there. (Can you say ouch?!)

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Some remnants of summer--like your beach hookup who won't stop commenting on your facebook photos-- are hard to get rid of. But, the dead skin cells built up from months of sun? Simple: Exfoliate. A dime-sized drop of facial scrub can leave you looking and feeling revitalized.

Shed Some Skin - "When you scrub, you're removing the top two layers of skin," says Rita Csizmadia. She's the owner of Rita's Institute for Beautiful Skin, a medical spa in Los Angeles. "A man exfoliates almost every day, in a way, by shaving. That leaves the upper part of his face not exfoliated, though."

Banish Ingrown Hairs - These cause irritation and leave you looking like you lost a fight with your razor. A skin buffer can bring the hair to the surface. "It breaks that follicle and brings the hair out," making it easier to remove the next time you shave.

Know Your Limits - Exfoliate once a week--any more often and you risk both irritation and an increase in oil production, Csizmadia says. That means your skin will simply go from flaky to oily. "An exfoliator irritates the skin a little bit, so if you shave right after, you can cause more irritation."

How to do it - Use your hands to gently rub the granules in a circular motion all over your face. Then rinse them off with a soft washcloth to reveal a fresh layer of skin.

Thursday, December 6, 2012

While calcium is the most well-known bone-building mineral, taking high doses of calcium supplements can make men's risk of prostate cancer skyrocket. (Two servings of dairy per day will fill your calcium need without increasing your risk). Save your bones and your manhood with folate and B-12. A combination of B vitamins are important for bone health and help lower levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that ups your risk of blood clots. A 2005 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, reports men who took a daily dose of folate and B-12 were 80 percent less likely to break a bone than those taking placebo.

Conditions: Bone healthRecommendations: 5 mg of folate (or 500 mcg of folic acid) and 1500 mcg of vitamin B-12Interactions & Side Effects: Phenytoin (You may need more folate, but too much folate may interfere with drug), Aspirin and other anti-inflammatory medicines (You may need more folate), Antacids (Drugs that reduce stomach acid can lower folate levels)

Monday, December 3, 2012

Total-Body Stress-Buster Workout
No time for hour-long exercise? No problem. Here is one amazing workout that takes just 15 minutes. It can be completed without sacrificing much of your precious time. Plus, they don't require much equipment, so there's no need to even set foot in a gym; you can do them anywhere. Perform as many reps as you can in 60 seconds, then move to the next exercise and so on. After completing all seven moves back to back, rest for 60 seconds, then repeat the circuit.

Speed Jump Rope - Stand with your knees slightly bent, holding the ends of a jump rope. Push off the floor with the balls of your feet and point your toes downward, while making small circles with your wrists. Land softly on your toes immediately pushing off again. Focus on jumping over the rope as quickly as possible.

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Hey everyone! I'm just an average guy sharing all the information I come across that either I or professionals have found to be useful in the never-ending search for maintaining healthy weight, muscle tone, overall health, skincare and beauty products that work. Check back for updates!